GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Immigrants in Kent County helped keep jobs and represent more than a billion dollars in spending power, according to a new study published in partnership with the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.
The Economic Impact Report of New Americans in Kent County found:
- Immigrants are helping the county meet its labor force demands: In 2019, immigrants were 27.3 percent more likely to be of working age than their U.S.-born counterparts, allowing them to actively participate in the labor force and contribute to the economy as taxpayers and consumers.
- Immigrants support the federal safety net: In 2021, they contributed $192.3 million to Social Security and $47.8 million to Medicare.
- Immigrants are helping Kent County meet its rising labor needs in key industries: While making up 8.9 percent of the county’s overall population in 2019, immigrants represented 53.1 percent of agriculture workers, 15.3 percent of construction workers, and 14.8 percent of transportation and warehouse workers.
- Immigrants in Kent County help create or preserve local manufacturing jobs: Immigrants strengthened the local job market by allowing companies to keep jobs on U.S. soil, helping preserve or create 2,600 local manufacturing jobs that would have otherwise been eliminated or moved elsewhere by 2019.
“It really was not a surprise to me,” said Ruben Ramos, who co-owns R&R Mechanical Services in Grand Rapids. “That is data that is great to have and for the mainstream part of the community to understand the impact and numbers that the immigrant sector has, but… I see how impactful immigrants can be.”
Ramos and his twin brother started the HVAC and refrigeration business in 2008 with the hopes they could better serve Hispanic and Latino homeowners.
“This has been a just a family endeavor since the day the company started and that, to me, has been very fulfilling,” said Ramos.
Ramos says the study shows immigrants play a crucial role in the economy. He hopes policymakers use it to create initiatives that address ongoing issues in the area like a lack of workers.
For example, Ramos knows of several, otherwise qualified workers, but cannot hire them because of their immigration status.
“We wish there was a path, a legal path, to be able to employ those people, because I know that would make a huge improvement for us,” said Ramos. “There’s so many things that I think can be done, we just really have to think outside the box.”
He added, “If we can't find legal solutions or political solutions to to the problem, I think we're gonna start having a lot more issues with with the business climate.”
Grand Rapids Chamber President Rick Baker see the data in the report as a solution too. He says without immigration, cities and regions do no grow which poses a problem for business who increasingly list talent and population size as top issues.
“We make decisions on, ‘Where can I be the most successful?’ and ‘Where can I feel welcome and be become engaged in the community?’” said Baker. “It’s important to us in order to be competitive to retain the companies, the businesses we have now, but also continue to attract and grow [and] that we have a community that is welcoming and attractive to a growing talent.”
Read the full report here:
New Americans in Kent County 2023 by WXMI on Scribd
